MG-Cars.info

Welcome to our Site for MG, Triumph and Austin-Healey Car Information.

Parts

MG parts spares and accessories are available for MG T Series (TA, MG TB, MG TC, MG TD, MG TF), Magnette, MGA, Twin cam, MGB, MGBGT, MGC, MGC GT, MG Midget, Sprite and other MG models from British car spares company LBCarCo.

MG MGA - 165/80-15 tires/tyres

I pulled my MGA 1600 out of long term storage today. The first thing it needs is a new set of tires. Then I can least least roll it wherever I want while I restore it for the third time in 44 years. The plan is to have it ready for my 45th year HS class reunion next year.

I have searched several websites for GOOD tyres and tubes for my car. I understand that the best size in TODAY'S number system is 165/80-15. I would prefer not to buy Chinese tyres, which are, at least, available. I'd like to find new Michelins with a tread design similar to the XSs that are desparate for replacement.

I found a thread here about tyres that had its last post two years ago. Apparently some of the info on that thread is out of date. I find that Tire Rack, the online Pep Boys, NTB, Tire Team, and a couple of others no longer stock this size. Local tyre stores can get what I need, but their prices are much higher in comparison to what I've bought online in other sizes. Online is no problem. Since I can't trust a tyre shop to mount tyres on my wire wheels, I will mount them myself. I had a shop destroy a wheel once. Then they didn't want to pay for replacing it. "Oh it must have had bad spokes"... NO, it had a tyre machine and operator not right for the task.

Any suggestions?
Chuck Asbury

http://www.longstonetyres.co.uk/page/165sr15-michelin-xzx
N McGurk

or you can buy Vredestein at a fraction of that price here

http://www.tires-easy.com
dominic clancy

Unfortunately I don't think Longstone can ship tyres to the middle of the USA economically. I might as well pay Coker's prices.
Chuck Asbury

I compared prices for several weeks this past summer and found the best deal by far on ebay at http://myworld.ebay.com/summitracing_sales/

I checked the serial numbers when I got the four tires and they were only months old. I put about 500 miles on them so far.
Dennis Suski

As Dominic says. I've had excellent experience with Tires-Easy , aka Delticom. You should check your credit card, as they are billed through Hamburg, Germany, so the transaction may be interrupted as a security measure. Just tell the credit card people you are buying overseas. Vredesteins are wonderful, and Michelin are overpriced and over rated, especially from Coker etc.

FRM
FR Millmore

I also vote for Vredestein. I put a set on my A last year and I am very happy. They have good grip and a smooth ride.
Keith Lowman

Where did you get yours Keith? I have to change mine this year.
gary starr

Chuck,
I am in North Dakota and put new tires on a few years ago. My MGA is in storage and I cannot get to it now to tell you the brand, but I think they are USA made. Our size tire is used on lots of air seeders, so the tires-radials-are all over the place unless farmers are putting new skins on their field equipment.
Some of you drive fast and a lot. I drive moderately and when the weather is right. So tires rot before they go bald and brands are not critical. That said, those I purchased look good and have decent handling.
Daniel Crothers

I put BF Goodrich Silvertown radials on mine, and have been very happy with them. They are actually made under license by Michelin. They are wide-whitewall style, which is what my car came with from the factory. My local Discount Tire dealer ordered them for me. It tool several months because the factory only makes a batch of them a few times a year.

David Breneman

Chuck,if you are about to start a restoration I think the tires would be one of the last steps you'd want to take. I'd put any tire on that holds air until I was done with body work and paint. That is if you are not driving the car. I am assuming that after long storage that the hydraulics are shot and that it is not drivable. Glad to hear another A will be on the road soon.
David Holmes

Remember time is just as hard on tires as mileage on our vintage machines. I have used up more tires through age than I ever did from tread wear. Tires harden with time and the side walls develop splits, flat spots, and can lose their grip on the road as the rubber hardens. It is time for new tires when you are just about to finish the restoration not when you are starting.
Keith Lowman

If you want to do more than toddle off to shows with the car and want modern sticky rubber, you can't get it in original size and would have to fit a bit wider rims to be able to use decent rubber.

If you just want something to putter around on, I think the Vredsteins are probably the best of the available original size tires.

Or maybe I could interest you in some 40 year old Michelin ZX, guaranteed to never wear out (nor stick to the road!) ;-)
Bill Spohn

In 2004 I bought 5 Kumho Power Star 758's for my 1600 MKII. Paid $29 each at Tire Rack. I've put over 25K miles on them, including 2 runs through Tail of Dragon and they still look new. It's an all-weather design, a partial view can be found in the lower left picture here:

http://www.mga-mk2.com/id1.html

Tire Rack no longer stocks them, nor could I find them in stock anywhere but Discount Tire Direct says to call and they might order them for you. Here's a link:

http://www.discounttiredirect.com/direct/tires/kumho/product/productSize.do?tmn=Power%20Star%20758&typ=Passenger/Performance.

Now that I've written this, I realize the tires are 9 years old. Might be time to replace them!

- Ken
Ken Doris

More research is indicating Kumho may no longer make the Power Star in that size, and any you find may be old.

Nankang makes tires in the same size, priced as low as $48 and they look almost identical to the Kumhos.

Here's a link:
http://www.onlinetires.com/products/vehicle/tires/nankang/165%252F80-15+nankang+cx668+87t+bsw.html

- Ken
Ken Doris

I just bought 5 Kuhmo Power Star tires from Discount Tire and paid $200 for 5 tires plus installation.
david kirkpatrick

This thread was discussed between 09/02/2013 and 20/02/2013

MG MGA index

This thread is from the archives. Join the live MG MGA BBS now